


A Sacred Pact

by clover71



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-18
Updated: 2011-11-18
Packaged: 2017-10-26 05:59:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/279518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clover71/pseuds/clover71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four young men who belong to a supernatural legacy are forced to battle a fifth power long thought to have died out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sacred Pact

**Author's Note:**

> A story based on the movie 'The Covenant'
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> 1) Please note that this is purely fiction and none of the contents are real except for all or some of the characters used in this story.  
> 2) Most characters used are based on real people but the details within do not purposely imply occurrences in real life; thus, anything here that concurs with real events may be completely coincidental.  
> 3) This fic is created based solely on the imagination of the author and for non-profitable purpose. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

~ start ~

For a beat.  A breath. A second.  A minute.  The world stood still.

Soundless vibration ripped through the atmosphere as a secret, an orphic legacy, faced a threat of careless revelation.  An arcanum no one, but those blessed with the power, had knowledge of.  An enigma that had been tucked away and hidden from the rest of the world, sealed with a pact that had been regarded as law.  And the pact had kept it concealed for generations.  
     
Until tonight.

Thin fog rose and slithered across the top of a steep rock cliff.  Its predatory limbs reaching out to the edge where three figures - three young men - stood watching the gathering of the common people at the shore below.  Their presence yet unknown, like some apparition inexistent in the minds of the inhabitants of Idolwich.  

“Hey guys.”  Another man emerged from the mist like some divine being sprouted from the doorway of a shadowy version of heaven.  The white streak on his light brown hair stood out against the hazy shade of pale gray on a dark backdrop that stretched out behind him.  “How’s the gathering?”

 “We haven’t actually checked,” the other spoke with a relative prominence on certain syllables.  “Cook suggested that we wait for you.”

“Where have you been, Jason?” Cook raised the inquiry in a partially accusatory tone.  “Luke says you weren’t at your dorm when he left.”

“Had some business to take care of” was Jason’s perfunctory response while edging towards the precipice. “I left a message on Michael’s voicemail.”

Michael was then quick to react.  “I didn’t get any, mate.”

“It doesn’t matter, Jason’s here,” Luke interrupted, most likely sensing the tension rising within the group.  “Let’s just go to the party.”

“Right.”  Jason turned to face all three men.  With a jerk of his head, he incited, “I say, let’s drop in boys,” gesturing toward the void behind him.  There was a momentary spark on Jason’s eyes before a black veil spread throughout his cornea. 

“Jason, don’t-“ But Cook was too late.  Jason had leaned back and allowed gravity to claim his body, his arms outstretched as he fell several feet below.

“You guys coming?” Luke said, his lips twitched into a mischievous smirk.  His eyes turned to the same sable shade before he took a leap over the edge, completely ignoring Cook who had called out his name.

“C’mon Cook.  We should live the dangerous life once in a while.”  Michael followed suit and Cook watched his friend take the freefall, until he vanished through the fog.

“Fuck.”  Cook cursed but did not hold back any further.  Pushing his hesitation aside, he bounded off the edge like his friends did, his body tearing through the thick mass of air that hugged the face of the steep rock formation towering above the shore.  Cook felt intensity of the pull increase the moment he saw the ground.  He took control and defied the laws of nature, gliding through the remaining distance before his feet touched the ground.

He joined his friends who were looking out over the hillock.  The burning color of yellow and orange on the faintly crackling fire, the sight of gyrating bodies, the pounding of the music ahead were certainly irresistible temptations laid out for them to taste, to relish.  “Shall we?” Cook took the lead and they descended further down the slope.

None would have noticed the clandestine way they arrived.  But as they drew nearer, Cook could feel the weight of a distant gaze, a strange new thrill ran down his spine, and a chill grazed across the surface of his skin.

He dismissed it as the wintry breeze.  Unbeknownst to him that hidden within the crowd ahead was a power stronger than he had ever seen and the one who possessed it would soon rise to claim his rightful place within the coven, within their circle.

  
==========   

  
The sound of the waves lapping against the shore mingled with the rhythmic beat blasting from the speakers perched on an elevated platform.  Bonfires scattered across the area, its flames dancing in accord with the tempo of the music.

Two pairs of eyes wandered through the crowd, scrutinizing any individual that stood out or was noteworthy for them to spare a glance.

David Archuleta tried to retain the mental notes he’d made all night about places he may and may not set foot on, people he should avoid or befriend and things he should and should not do.  His roommate, Danny Noriega, had been pretty keen in having him oriented well enough before school started Monday.

It was the weekend and apparently, parties were pretty popular at the school he had transferred, legal or not.  And the thrill of being part of an unsanctioned bonfire party at the beach during the late hours of the night sounded pretty enticing that he had succumbed to Danny’s invitation.

“Hey Archie.”  Danny nudged him, pulling him out of his musings.  “They’re here, the four horsemen.”

Before Archie could even raise an eyebrow in question, Danny had already started the introductions and Archie had to keep up and remember the names.  Michael was first to shake his hand and Archie knew him because he was Danny’s boyfriend and his roommate had done nothing but talk about him since he arrived. 

The names of the next two men whom Danny had introduced barely registered because Archie was enthralled with the last man who stood farther behind.  His face was barely lit but Archie could tell he was gorgeous.  When the man stepped into the glow of the nearby bonfire, Archie felt the earth move underneath him. 

The man held out his hand.  “David Cook,” he said in a mellifluous and velvety voice.  His eyes were the color of the earth and the sea, swerving into a large whirlpool of mystery that was luring Archie to take the plunge and drown within its depth. “But you can call me Cook.”

David Archuleta, he wanted to say.  But his own name had melted at the tip of his tongue when he felt Cook’s slightly rough fingertips graze the back of his hand.  Instead, he muttered, “Archie,” his voice barely loud enough to hear.  He felt his cheeks burned and he could feel the singe crawling all the way up to the tip of his ears. 

One corner of Cook’s lips twisted into a lopsided smile.  His eyes softened along the edges. A weight had settled on Archie’s chest, making his heart sink somewhere he preferred not to think of in a public place.

The conversation would’ve gone smoothly had it not been for the rude interruption resident bully of Sagewood University whom Danny had pointed out Archie should avoid. 

“I don’t want any trouble Robbie,” Archie heard Cook saying and everything became a blur when the boys started pushing each other, arms shot out and limbs tangled.  And at figuratively a blink of an eye, there was a guy standing in the middle, arms outstretched in what seemed to be a way to keep both men apart.

When Robbie made to lunge at Cook, the guy grabbed his wrist and twisted it, sending Robbie on his knees. 

The music stopped.  The speakers crackled and a voice came through, saying, “Guys, Castro just called.  He says there are three police cars on their way here now.”

Everyone scampered off, rushing back up the steep steps that led to the top of the cliff where cars were parked.

  
==========

  
“Anyone need a ride?” Archie asked once they reached the top, dodging the other people that went past them in haste.

The mere sound of Archie’s voice made Cook’s heart skip.  There was something about the young man that seemed so alluring and Cook just couldn’t tear his eyes away from him. “We all came in Luke’s car,” Cook said with a hint of regret because he certainly didn’t want the night to end right away.

The guy who interrupted the fight caught up with them. “Can I get a lift back to the dorms?”

“That’s where we’re heading” was Danny’s indirect way of saying he could join them.

“Thanks for your help back there, man.” Cook slowed his pace and held out his hand.  “David Cook.”

“My name’s David, too.  David Hernandez.  But please, call me Davey.” The other guy took Cook’s offered hand congenially. “And anytime, man.  Those guys were troublemakers anyway.”

They reached a clearing where several cars were parked and Cook gestured to a black SUV.  “That’s our ride.”  He halted and slightly rocked on his heels, hands stuffed on his jeans’ front pockets.  Words failed him.  His brain refused to process anything intelligible and he was uncertain whether he coherently told Archie “well, good-night” before heading over to their car.

Michael was hooting by the time Cook slipped into the rear seat to join him.  “I think Archie has the hots for you, mate.”  The two men at the front seat whistled their agreement.

“Shut up.”  Cook could feel himself blushing.

“Whoa, wait.”  Luke held up a hand.  “He’s saying something.” 

Cook wasn’t sure what Luke was talking about but when he looked out the window, he saw Archie leaning out of his car, yelling, “I can’t get it started.”

The door to the passenger side was pushed open.  “Well ladies,” Jason said, stepping out of the vehicle.  “I guess this is a job for Jason Yeager.”

“Jason, don’t-“

The door was slammed shut without giving Cook a chance to throw in a warning.  He clenched his hands into fists.  Jason’s impulsiveness was getting under his skin. 

They could do nothing but watch Jason lift the hood of Archie’s car, keeping him hidden from its passengers view.  Cook could feel the power flowing out of his friend, even from a distance.  From their angle, he could clearly see the shift on Jason’s eyes, could feel the energy he poured on the machine.

“Fuck.”  Doing stupid stunts was one thing.  But it was a whole new level of living dangerously if one of them would risk exposure. And Jason was taking a huge risk that Cook felt uneasy. He had every reason to worry. Unbeknownst to them, the seal of their pact was breaking, the crack on the glass widening.

“Relax, mate.  He’s just showing off.  It’s not like he’d intentionally let them see.”  Cook stared daggers at Michael then glanced back to Archie’s car just in time to see Jason blink before lowering the hood back down.

The car started and Archie poked his head out of the driver’s side window to yell, “Thank you!”

Jason returned looking complacent.  But instead of getting back to the passenger seat, he yanked the door at the driver’s side open, insisting that he would drive.  After a useless protest, Luke slid into the seat Jason previously occupied.

Sirens filled the air and they knew the police were closing in.  They sat there for a while, waiting for Archie to pull out of the makeshift parking space and head out the road leading back to Sagewood University before Jason stirred the SUV to the opposite direction.

The police caught up with them, two cars were immediately on their tail.  Jason maneuvered the vehicle from one path to the next.  But it was a pointless effort. 

“Fuck!”  Cook twisted in his seat, glancing at the cars behind them.  Swirling red lights were at a steady distance.  “You’re gonna have to pull over Jason.  We can’t shake them.”

“No way, man.”  It was Luke who protested.  “My dad’s going to have my head if I end up having a police record.”

“We can lose him, Cook.  You know we can.” The implication in Jason’s words frightened Cook a bit.  He knew what his friend was thinking.  And when the other two agreed, Cook couldn’t help but sink into the deep ends of the contemplation.

This was exactly what generations before them were trying to prevent.  The thought of the possibility that they could be burying what their forefathers had worked so hard to protect gnawed at Cook’s conscience.

But… What the hell, he thought. They were being chased and if they got caught, it wouldn’t be any different from doing what they could to escape the situation at hand.  Exposure be damned.

“Fine.”  His mind was set, his heart made a silent call to the higher power for guidance.  “Take the route to Queen’s Point.”

The cheers that exploded were enough to haul him out of his safety bubble, thinking that it was about time he stopped being afraid of the consequences.  
   
The vehicle’s headlights sliced a path through the darkness ahead, its beam reaching out through the expanse of the cliff.  They just drove out of the area congested with trees and were now cruising along the vast platform on top of the clustered rock formation.

The police cars’ horns resounded across the empty space.  Cook knew by the way the honking sounded that it was the policemen’s desperate call, their means of conveying a warning. But unknown to these forces of the law, Cook and his friends were well aware of the danger ahead.

His heartbeat began to pick up pace.

“C’mon, Cook.  We need you.”  Michael shifted in his seat.  “We all have to do it to make it work.”

A slight tilt of the head was all Cook offered, hoping it was enough to let Michael know that he acquiesced. 

The power descended upon them, feeding through every vein and residing underneath their skin.  Cook’s vision darkened.   He had a glimpse of the sheer drop ahead. 

Jason had shifted the gear and the vehicle zoomed through the dirt path. The edge was drawing nearer.  And nearer.  And before the SUV plunged into the dark abyss where the gurgling sea waited several miles below, Jason blurted, “Harry. Potter. Can. Kiss. My. Ass!”

The police cars in pursuit screeched to a sudden halt, just merely inches from the end point.  The officers jumped out of their automobiles and rushed to peer over the ridge, directing large flashlights down the sea.  They were completely oblivious that the vehicle they were seeking, the passengers they were keen to capture, were soaring right above them.  Floating.  Levitating. Gliding.  And falling.

Cook released his hold on the SUV nearly the same time that the rest did as soon as they were certain that they would land back safely on the ground.  The remaining height was disregarded, which Cook later regretted because the vehicle bounced mercilessly when it crashed, making Cook feel like his entrails were rearranged.

They all broke out into fits of laughter when the officers’ jaws dropped and looked completely awestruck.

==========

Cook had definitely made an imprint in Archie’s thoughts.  He couldn’t seem to get the suave man out of his mind.  Those hazel eyes constantly invaded his thoughts and his heart fluttered whenever he remembered the way Cook’s lips twitched in a crooked smile. 

Now with Danny babbling things like “Cook is a good guy” and “Cook is captain of Sagewood’s swim team”, Archie had no choice but to give in to his curiosity.

“Why do you call them the four horsemen?” he asked.  And when Danny looked up from his history book with a ‘huh’ look, Archie felt compelled to repeat what he had said.  “Back at the Dunes, you called them the four horsemen.”

Danny went “oh” and he launched into the common knowledge about Idolwich’s history involving a colony that had migrated from Salem and how strange things started to happen when these families settled in the quiet, subdued town.  “They are believed to be descendants of those five families who simply inherited the title given to generations before them.”

“What happened to the fifth?” Archie asked when Danny turned his attention back to his book.  When Danny asked what he meant, Archie rolled his eyes.  “You said something about five families?”

With a shrug, Danny said nonchalantly, “The fifth was believed to have been executed during the Salem witch hunt.  The head of the family was able to escape though, but was hanged here in Idolwich when someone claimed he was doing black magic.”  Archie could tell Danny was anticipating his reaction but when he didn’t utter a word, Danny supplied, “Cool huh?”

==========

  
The dreams started that night.  Cook felt someone was using the power. It was strong enough to pull him out of a deep sleep. 

He’d lay awake for the rest of the night.  Sleep eluded him.  His mother’s words swam in his thoughts.  Words of warning that echoed within the hollows of his brain, dangerously threatening to unhinge his sanity.

There was a definitive point behind his mother’s ranting though.    And he couldn’t blame her for worrying.  The power they possess did consume their bodies the more they used it.  And the fact he was near to ascending - something inevitable and he was clearly destined to go through - didn’t particularly help to ease his mother’s worries.

His powers would increase.  The risk of him going through a rapid physical aging would increase along with it.

It was the consequences that his ancestors, generations before him, had suffered.   
   
==========

It was a good thing that the main road was nearly empty.  There was so much anxiety rushing through every Cook’s veins that he just wanted to soar through the streets without worrying about other motorists. 

His mind was too preoccupied with the dream he had the night before and wondered if it was connected in anyway with the news about a fellow student at Sagewood who was found dead at the Dunes.  His first thought was to call Michael.

“How can you be so sure that it was him?”  Michael asked after Cook had vented out his gut instincts, his voice was somewhat muffled so Cook took one hand off of the steering wheel to grab his cell phone, which was pressed between his shoulder and his ear.

“Who else could it be?”  Cook asked cynically.  Though, if he were to be honest, he wasn’t entirely sure about it himself.  It was just easy to point a finger at Jason every time something weird happened. 

There was a puff of air on the other end and Cook could just imagine Michael heaving a sigh.  “All I’m saying is you should give him the benefit of the doubt.  You know he’s only using his powers to piss you off.  He’s just probably jealous because he knows that your bloodline is the strongest.”

Michael had a point.

“I don’t Mikey, but I know someone was using it last night,” Cook said thoughtfully.  “It was strong enough to wake me up from a deep sleep.”

“Well, I think we shouldn’t be jumping to…”

The rest of Michael’s words came unheard when Cook felt a sudden chill rise beside him.  He glanced at the passenger seat just in time to see a ghost-like vapor swirling into a shape; then it took the form of a young man with pale, grayish face. Clouded gray eyes gazed at him imploringly, like it wanted his life force to survive. It leaned into the space that stood between them, its face only inches away.  Then its mouth sprang open in a silent scream. And just as quickly as it appeared, it was equally quick to vanish.

Cook was petrified.  He remained stock-still and was holding his breath until a loud horn resounded, snapping him out of his stupor.  But it was a second too late.  The moment Cook turned his eyes back on the road, a large eight-wheeler truck was right in front of him.

In a beat. In a pulse.  In a single-word charm. Cook braced himself as his car slammed into the truck.  The impact tore the vehicle apart, every piece glided above the ground.  And Cook managed to levitate in the nick of time.  With all his might, with all his power, he held everything around him close and once the entirety of the truck had gone past his space, Cook pulled everything back together, mended and restored as it were.  Then his car skidded rather gracefully until it halted.

The truck, which was several meters behind, swerved out of control before it finally slowed.  Cook could only presume that the driver had caught a glimpse of what happened to his car and could only imagine him sitting inside his truck totally stunned.

Cook couldn’t care about the exposure at the moment.  There were more pressing matters that he had to pay heed to.   The full effect of the exertion to keep hold of the things he had within a bubble was surging throughout Cook’s body.  He could feel the shuddering energy roll inside of him, his limbs still trembling and he was still painfully out of breath.  His head was pressed into the backrest of the driver’s seat.

A faint voice calling out of his name reminded Cook what he was doing before the collision.  He reached down and felt under the passenger side’s seat for his cell phone.  When his fingers had curled around it, he instantly brought it up to his ear.  His voice was quivering when he uttered, “Mikey.”

“Fuck! Cook.  What happened to you, man?” Michael’s voice was laced with worry.

Not knowing exactly what to say or how he would tell Michael what he had just seen, Cook just swallowed and forced the words out, the image still haunting his psyche.  “I just saw a darkling.  It copied the form of that kid they found dead at the Dunes.”

“What?” The stillness that followed only escalated the tension wracking Cook’s body.  He could almost hear Michael thinking, knew what was going through his mind even before Michael spoke, “Who the fuck will send you a darkling?”

“I don’t know.”  Vitality was slowly returning back to Cook’s system, wrapping around the numbing sensations like a blanket.  He turned the key in the ignition.  “But I intend to find out.”

“If you want to talk to Jason, he’ll probably at Randy’s later” was Michael’s suggestion.  Dealing with Jason in such a public place didn’t seem like a good idea, but Cook decided to keep his mouth shut and comply when Michael added, “I’ll just meet you there.”

  
==========

  
Cook had run into Archie at a convenient store.  And when Archie declined Danny’s invitation to watch a movie, Cook invited him to come along.  So they left Danny and Davey and went driving across town to his ancestral home.

The silver PontiacTM convertible was cruising through the winding roads on the hillside of Idolwich.  Cool crisp wind gently swept across the vicinity, trees that lined on both sides swayed in accord and birds were chirping musically somewhere within the wooded area.

The sight was undeniably exhilarating.  Cook glanced at Archie when he heard him drew in a breath, clearly reveling the scent of pine and refreshing mist.  A small smile formed on Cook’s lips.  
   
There was something about the younger man’s presence that made Cook feel elated somehow.  And the awe that graced Archie’s face as his eyes wandered around the scenery they drove through made him look heavenly that Cook found it difficult to tear his eyes away. If Cook didn’t know the roads very well and if it hadn’t been empty, they would’ve most like crashed already.

“It’s so beautiful here.  I wish I had my camera,” Archie had suddenly uttered dreamily.

“I thought you live in Utah,” Cook said, his voice held a tone of playful teasing.  “I hear there are more beautiful sceneries up there.”

“Mhmm.” Archie turned to face Cook and Cook thought he saw a flicker of sadness on the other man’s eyes.  “But this,” Archie went on, hand waving, gesturing at the surroundings, “this is a different kind of awesome.  If you know what I mean.”

Cook couldn’t help but chuckle.

They talked more, learned more about each other.  And Cook listened intently as Archie narrated how he had succumbed to his adventurous side and took the risk of moving out of state to continue his studies.

They’ve reached an old manor and Cook parked his car right outside a wooden fence.  He sat still for a while, watching Archie’s eyes wander tentatively around the property.

“Does someone actually live here?” the younger man asked and immediately his hand flew over his mouth.  “Oh gosh, I’m sorry.  That must’ve sounded rude.”

The corners of Cook’s mouth curled up.  “Don’t worry about it,” he said, cocking his head to the side. He was rewarded with a blush that spread across Archie’s cheeks and his smile grew wider. “This was our old house. Only our caretaker lives here now.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“I better head in and get this over with,” Cook said, reminding Archie that he had an errand to do. When he stepped out of the vehicle, a gunshot ripped through the air followed by a threatening voice.

“Who’s there?”

“Gren! It’s me, Dave!” Cook shouted.  But he was the least bit surprised since he was used to their caretaker’s poor eyesight and paranoia.

“Who’s with you?” Grenvell demanded.

“A friend” was Cook’s response.  Then he peered inside the car, leaning against the window.  “He’s old,” he told Archie.  “Can’t see well.  And he’s too grumpy.”

The wood creaked dangerously under his feet when Cook entered the old house.  Not wasting time to linger, he climbed up the stairs and found their caretaker, Grenvell looking out the window.

“You better be more careful, Dave.  You shouldn’t be bringing outsiders with you,” he said in a wispy voice before turning around to face Cook.

“I know Gren.  I am being careful.”  Cook glanced at a still figure sitting on the lounge chair.  Multiple IVs hanging on a pole and a life-supporting machine stood beside it.  At the far wall, the fire crackling in the hearth looked dull and lifeless.  “Is there anything else he needs?”  Cook didn’t want to spend another minute in that room.  It was a cruel reminder of the consequences of his nature.

“All good” were the only words Grenvell said.  Then he turned his back on Cook to attend to the still figure.

Much as Cook didn’t want to be there, he oddly felt a weight in his chest as he descended down the rickety steps.  This house was part of his life after all.  Regardless if it was shoved in the hidden corners of his past, it was still a past that he could not walk away from.

The icy current of air welcomed him the moment he stepped out of the door.  He could see Archie in his car, looking rather uneasy.  With hurried steps he returned to his vehicle, thinking that it was about time he opened his life to a new chapter.

Cook didn’t miss the way Archie jolted when he pulled the driver’s side door open.  “Are you okay?” he asked, slipping into the car without taking his eyes off of Archie’s face.

“Yeah” was Archie’s laconic response.

It seemed pointless to push the subject so Cook decided to veer the conversation into a different path.  “Would you like to go back to your dorm, perhaps to shower and change?”

There was hint of confusion and wariness that tarried over Archie’s face.  “Why do I need to do that?”

Cook had to admit.  The boy was truly adorable.  And beautiful.  “We’re going to Randy’s” was Cook’s response.

“What’s at Randy’s?”  Archie asked with a tilt of his head and a crinkly brow.

  
==========

  
The place was packed with youngsters, which was a common weekend scene.  Randy’s Place had been one of the hangouts that college students favored. 

Michael arrived around a quarter of an hour after Cook and Archie did.  Apologies for not being able to make it to the movies automatically made it past his lips when he leaned down to kiss Danny.  And his mood quickly went down south when Danny said, “Oh, it’s okay. Davey kept me company.”

The bitterness was evident in Michael’s voice when he uttered, “I’m sure he did.”  There was a momentary thick tension that hung in the air even after Michael had turned and headed over to the bar muttering, “I’ll go order something to eat.”

Archie reached out and patted Danny on the shoulder.  But Danny just shook his head and went on telling them about some scenes that stood out from the movie he had just seen.  The exuberance he had earlier somehow dwindled.

It took a while before Michael returned. Cook and Davey were at the football table.  “Jason and Luke are here,” he said when he walked behind Cook.

“Where?”

“At the billiards area.”

Cook glanced over to the opposite side of the pub and saw his friends surrounded by Robbie and his gang of misfits.  “I smell trouble.”

“Leave him be” was Michael’s advice.

Michael later on took Cook’s place at the game table when Archie strode by and asked Cook to dance.  Archie had his lower lip wedged between his teeth when he turned to face Cook, gazing up through his long eyelashes to meet Cook’s eyes.

The hands that crawled up to Cook’s shoulders were tentative.  But when Cook grabbed Archie’s hips gently and pulled him closer, the hands moved further confidently until they were clasped behind Cook’s neck.  A smirk pulled at Cook’s lips when Archie’s chest was pressed against his middle and they both began to sway to the music, letting the rhythm guide their movement.

The beat of the music seeped into Cook’s body, flowing like blood through his veins.  The lyrics grasped at his consciousness, words that made him crave for more contact.  He was about to lean in further but a commotion yanked him out of the spell.  Cook glanced just in time to see Luke holding Jason back, who was glaring threateningly at Robbie. 

When his friends followed Robbie and his gang through the back door, Cook turned to meet Michael’s eyes.  “Stay here,” he told Archie before he made his way toward the direction that Jason and Luke took with Michael at his heels.

The hostility that was rising in the alleyway vibrated through the air.  The locked gaze between Jason and Robbie were too sharp, it cut right through Cook’s trepidation.  He knew Jason well enough that a little push could make him use his power to humiliate someone.  But a shove could provoke Jason to use his power to cause serious damage.  Cook had to intervene.

“What’s going on?” 

Jason didn’t bother to turn around when he spoke.  “He bet I wouldn’t be able to do a combo shot.”  He turned his head to meet Cook’s gaze, the sneer that landed upon his lips were dangerously mischievous.  “And I did.”

“It’s because you cheated, you fucker,” Robbie hissed, his eyes blazing with fury.

“Hey!”  Randy stood at the doorway, a large club in his hands.  “Take your fight some place else, boys.  I don’t want trouble within my turf.”

There was a flicker of fear that momentarily hung on Robbie’s face.  Then he masked it with an obviously forced smile.  “Sorry Randy, we were just talking here.”

“Yeah, I’m convinced.”  Randy snorted and then looked at Robbie threateningly.  “I know your reputation Carrico.  So if I were you, I’d get the hell out of here right now unless you’d like to say hello to my assistant here,” he said, raising his club.

“We’re leaving, we’re leaving.”  Robbie raised his hands at Randy then beckoned his friends to follow.  “We’re not done yet, Yeager,” he snarled at Jason when he went past him.

As soon as Robbie and his friends and Randy were gone, Cook hissed at Jason.  “What the fuck were you thinking, man?”

“We were just playing them.”  Jason tilted his head like he meant to sound innocent.

“Yeah, right.  And you expect me to believe you,” Cook snapped at him, his words laced with accusation.

“He didn’t start it, Cook.  It was all Robbie’s idea.  You know how he is,” Luke tried to explain, but all Cook could think was Jason had put him up to it.

“Oh please.  Don’t back him up when you know well that he’s lying.”

Jason blundered out in a raised voice, “I’m not lying!”  Then his face morphed into a look of resignation.  He rolled his eyes as he spat, “Oh forget it.  You’ll never believe me anyway.” 

When Jason stepped aside in what Cook knew was an attempt to walk away, Cook then raised his hand and laid his palm against Jason’s chest, forcing him to halt.  “I’m not finished with you yet.”  Cook hadn’t meant to sound authoritative, but he’d had enough of Jason’s stupidity.

It wasn’t at all surprising that Jason’s impulsive move was to grab Cook’s wrist and Cook watched Jason’s eyes turn black.  He had sensed the power surge from Jason’s hand, sending an excruciating pain on Cook’s forearm and creeping up to the tip of his fingers. 

“Jason,” Cook uttered, his voice strained.  “Stop.”  But Jason wasn’t listening.

Cook could feel his blood begin to boil.  Fuck self-control.  Rage flowed like hot lava through Cook’s veins, making him release the constraints that held his own powers.  A massive energy burst out of him, hurling Jason through the air until the other man’s back hit the wall of the building.

“Are you really that stupid, Jason?”  Cook spat.  He was nearly blinded by his anger.  “Don’t you know that the more you use it, the more you get addicted to it, you moron.  If you don’t care about that, that’s your problem.  But if you use it within the company of others, then you’ll risk exposing us all.  And I will never let that happen.”

The words seemed to pass through Jason unheeded.  The ground underneath Cook’s feet shook.  Tremendous energy rose and wrapped around them, creating an invisible bubble. 

“My powers are greater than yours,” Cook said, none too smugly.

“Not until you ascend” was Jason’s return, spite evident in his tone.  His eyes were once more veiled with the dark shadow that usually settled upon them whenever they use the power.  Then the barrel beside him levitated, floating menacingly in the air.

“Fine.  If that’s what you want.  Give me all you’ve got,” Cook said rather nonchalantly, waving his hands, beckoning Jason to send him whatever Jason meant to throw his way.

The barrel hovering beside Jason came in a blur as it flew towards Cook. But Cook was quick enough to release his power and with both his hands raised forward, willed an invisible shield to deflect the object, knocking the barrel aside then used the shield’s force to throw Jason backwards, causing him to crash on a stack of crates.

Cook lunged forward but was suddenly stopped by an arm that shot across his chest.  “Stop it Cook, this is getting out of hand” came Michael’s voice beside him.  Luke ran over to help Jason up.

“He deserves it! It will be a hard lesson learned if he keeps on doing what he did last night,” Cook ranted.

Jason staggered toward Cook, dragging Luke who was grasping desperately on his arm. “Big deal.  So I fixed his car.  That didn’t hurt anyone.”

“I wasn’t talking about that, I was talking about what you did later” was the fierce accusation that whizzed out of Cook’s mouth.  Jason’s brows furrowed.

“I didn’t use it after.”  Jason breathed against Cook’s face.

But Cook heard Michael utter, “Just get your ass out of here.”  And with that, Jason and Luke were gone.

“He’s lying and you know it.”  Cook was rubbing his face with both hands.  Exasperation was weighing him down.  Not to mention the great sense of foreboding that had been stuck within him.

“What if he’s not?” were the words that Michael offered.  And fuck, it made some sense somehow and Cook couldn’t deny it.

“Then who?”  The question still lingered in Cook’s mind.  “It wasn’t you.  And it sure hell wasn’t me.  Luke doesn’t have the guts to lie to me.  And-”

“Cook?”  Archie was standing at the doorway, his lower lip wedged between his teeth.  His gaze switched between Cook and Michael.  “Uhm… Is everything all right?”

The ire that flared within his core earlier subsided, the fire extinguished, at the mere sight of Archie.   “Yeah.  Yeah, everything’s fine Arch.”  The lie tasted bitter on his tongue, but Cook had no other choice.  He couldn’t let Archie know what was going on.

“Can we go now?”  The worry was still etched on Archie’s face.  It was easy enough for Cook to read the younger man through his creased forehead.

A nod from Michael was enough for Cook to presume that he could take his leave. “Sure, Archie.  Let’s get out of here.”

 

 

==========

 

 

Days passed and Cook and Archie grew closer.  They rarely get together at school since the classes they took were in different campuses but their schedule amazingly coincided; thus, they get to spend time after school hours. 

Davey had likewise wormed his way into Cook’s circle of friends.  Although Michael had started to feel indifferent about it since Danny seemed to craving for Davey’s company more often than not.  The green-eyed monster had definitely reared its ugly head.

Apart from all these, bizarre incidents continued to haunt them.  Michael claimed to have seen a darkling, which he believed was the same one that had made its presence known to Cook. 

Despite the fact that Jason seemed genuine when he’d told Cook he rarely used his powers, Cook couldn’t help but dump the blame on Jason’s lap every time his instincts were alerted of the power’s lingering existence.

It was at the least expected moment that the mystery had begun to unveil itself right before Cook’s eyes.

The four horsemen were at a swimming team practice.  Cook stood a few meters from the pool’s edge, cheering Michael on, who was currently pushing his way through the water towards the finish wall with his powerful butterfly stroke.

Just as Cook was about to whistle in celebration when Michael won, he caught sight of Davey approaching through the corner of his eyes.

What started out as friendly exchange between Cook and Davey about their expertise with freestyle ended up with Davey challenging Cook for a race.  “Let’s see what you’ve got,”

Once the starting beep sounded, Cook dove into the water, ignoring the warnings that his gut instinct had shoved into his psyche.  His arms were alternately pulling through the warm water and then lifting to circle above his head.

After Cook had done a flip turn, he began to feel a chill crawling through his skin.  It couldn’t be the water, which he could still feel was warm against his body.  It was like an icy grip that was filling his chest with dread. 

When Cook lifted his head out of the water and sucked in a breath, he likewise saw that he was only a few meters from the finish wall.  Davey was swimming alongside him.

Cook’s face plunged back into the water, his arms continued to move in circular motions at his sides.  And it was when he turned his head sideways, his face lifting off the surface, that Cook could swear he had a glimpse of Davey’s darkened eyes.

In a split second Cook’s vision fogged.  Then he felt his consciousness slipping away. 

  
==========

  
“I really am sorry I had to cancel.  But I promise I’ll make it up to you,” Cook said, his cellphone pressed tightly against his ear.

“Cook, it’s okay” came Archie’s voice.  “You need to rest after what happened at the pool earlier.”

“Yeah.”  The earlier incident came crushing through his thoughts once more.  He’d lost consciousness when he was barely a couple of feet away from the finish line.  When he came to, all his friends were hovering above him, including Davey.  But his suspicions didn’t falter, not even when Luke informed him that it was Davey who pulled him out of the water.

Cook slipped his phone back into his jeans pocket after he’d hang up and turned to Michael.  “Let’s do this,” Cook said resolutely.

“Do you mind running it through me once more as to WHY we’re breaking into the school’s archive?” The lines on Michael’s forehead were visible, uncertainty flashed across his face.

“I’ve explained it for a hundredth time,” Cook said, sounding exasperated.  “I have to know where David Hernandez hailed from.  I have a feeling he’s not who he claimed he is.”

“So now it’s Davey?”  Michael groaned when Cook leaped over the steel gate near the archive building.  Cook knew that would leave Michael with no choice but to follow.  “You know how much I dislike the guy,” Michael went on, as if there weren’t minutes that went past them since he last uttered a word.  “But what is it in him that sparked your curiosity anyway?”

“I told you.”  Cook stopped in his tracks and pressed his back against a brick wall.  “Back at the pool area, His eyes were as black as the night.”

The room was barely lit with wall lamps that hung against the walls.  Cook aimed the small flashlight he’d been holding at the steel cabinets, eyes keenly surveying the labels on each drawer.  When he found the one holding records of students from their campus whose last names started with the letter ‘H’, Cook pulled it open eagerly. 

They found Davey’s folder in no time.  Half of the file Cook was perusing through contained Davey’s personal records while Michael went through some reports from the school’s guidance counselor.

“Listen to this,” Michael started, his finger sliding across the paper.  “It says here Davey’s parents died in a car crash barely seven months ago.”

“When exactly?” Cook’s eyes were trained on Davey’s profile.

“May thirty-first.  Why?”

The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together.  The wheels in Cook’s head turned eagerly.   “So his parents died on his birthday. His twenty-first birthday.”

“So?”

Cook brushed off Michael’s word.  His focus was on Davey’s record.  “It says here that Davey was adopted.  His real name is David DioGuardi.  Why does that last name sound familiar?”

The sound of the door opening startled both men.  They quickly tuned in to their powers and levitated just when a figure rounded the corner.  Cook had no time to push the drawer closed.

It was the night watchman, most likely doing his rounds.  The man seemed to have noticed the open drawer and he lifted his large flashlight, pointing it at every angle possible, except, thank God, upward.

Both Cook and Michael were pressed against the ceiling, the folder that held all Davey’s record in Cook’s hand.  As if the odds were truly against them, a sheet of paper slipped out of the folder and swayed as it made its descent.  However, before it could flutter over to the night watchman, Cook used his power to control the paper and hold it in place.

Once the watchman had left the building entirely, Cook and Michael glided back to the floor and quickly returned everything to its original state.”

On their way out the door, Cook suddenly halted.  And Michael, who was right behind, collided with Cook’s back.  “What the fuck, mate?”

“I think I know where I’ve heard the name DioGuardi before.”  A wave of enthusiasm washed over Cook.  “Call Jason and Luke.  Tell them to meet us at the old house.”

  
==========

  
The sandy surface of the concrete steps crunched beneath Cook’s feet as he made his way down to the basement where Jason, Luke and Michael were waiting.

“What’s this about?” Jason asked in a tone that was leaning more into sounding defensive rather than curious.

“Several weeks ago, I felt someone was using the power.”  Cook began, wasting no time to divulge the reason why he called for this assembly.  “It was so strong it yanked me out of a deep sleep.”

“See?  I told you there was someone using it,” Luke told Jason, then he turned to Cook.  “I felt it too.”

“When you said it wasn’t you,” Cook said directly to Jason this time.  “Were you lying?”

Jason’s indignant façade melted and was replaced with what might be his worried expression.  “No,” he muttered with a shake of his head.

Cook went on telling Jason and Luke about the darkling he and Michael saw and everything that happened after, leading to his suspicion over Davey and the facts they had discovered at the school’s archive.

He glanced at the shelf at the far end of the room, eyes darkened as he pulled out a large, ancient book with his mind.  The book floated through the air and landed at the wide circle that stood in the middle of the room.  The four young men took their places around the circle.  Flames rose from the hollowed edge.

The book flipped open on its own, pages were turned like there was an invisible hand leafing through it.  It stopped at the section where the history of the colony that migrated to Idolwich was written.

The book of damnation had recorded the time when the head of the fifth family was executed.  “It was believed that Simon Cowell had lost his family at the Salem witch hunt before the colony moved to Idolwich,” Cook narrated.  “But only a few weeks after our ancestors had settled into their new homes, Simon was persecuted after being accused of using black magic.”  The other three men listened intently, nodding whenever Cook paused to make sure they were able to follow.

“One of those who attended his trial was a woman who claimed that Cowell came to her countless times in her dreams in the form of a shadow, which they believed was an evil omen,” Cook continued.  “This woman was Kara DioGuardi.”

The book turned a few leaves.  “Kara’s husband died as soon as our ancestors arrived at Idolwich from an unknown illness.  She gave birth to a son Henri DioGuardi during spring, specifically on the fifteenth of April.” 

Jason tilted his head, brows meeting at the center.  “So?”

“That was ten months and two weeks after her husband died” was Cook’s response.

“Fuck.”  Michael straightened up, realization dawning on his face.  “That means Henri was the bastard son of Simon Cowell?”  When Cook nodded, Michael went on.  “So the fifth blood line didn’t actually perish when Cowell was hanged.”

“Right.”  The certainty to that theory was apparent.  “David Hernandez then is the descendant of the fifth blood line.”

“So he’s one of us?”  Luke uttered warily.

The musical tone from Cook’s phone broke through the solemn ambiance that formed between them.  “Hey Arch,” he said softly.  “I’m gonna have to call you back.  I’m in the middle of-“ The unmistakable sob from the other end stopped him.  “Archie?”

“S-something happened to Danny.” Archie hiccupped as he spoke, his voice almost inaudible.  “They’re taking him to…” Archie sucked in a breath before continuing, “ t-to the medical center at the city.” 

“What happened?”  Cook’s chest tightened and he drew his eyes away from his friends who were all watching him with curiosity.

“Uh-I don’t know.  The doctors said he has severe allergic reactions from spider bites. Cook, I’m scared.”

“Where are you?”  They spoke for a while.  Cook asked Archie to stay at the dorm and wait for him.  When the call ended, Cook turned to Michael, uncertain on how to break the news about his boyfriend.  But he was never the type to beat around the bush.  “He got to Danny.”

Michael sprang from his seat.  “What the fuck do you mean he got to Danny?”

Cook’s gaze momentarily darted to the flames that were still flickering around the circle.  Then he looked back at his friend. “He’s got Danny under a spell.”

“What kind of spell?”  It was Jason who raised the question.

“Creation.”  Cook gauged Michael’s reaction.  “Spiders.”

“Fuck.” Michael sprinted up the stairs, taking to steps at a time.  “I’m going to kill the motherfucker.”

“Wait, Mikey!”  Cook called after him.  “We don’t know yet how dangerous he could be!”

It was futile.  They knew Michael was gone the moment they heard a door slam somewhere above them.

“What do we do now?”  Luke seemed confounded by what had just happened.

“I’ll go after Michael. You two stay here and find a way to break the fucking spell.”  Cook strode over to the stairs.

“But Dave, the only one who can break the creation spell is the one who cast it,” Jason pointed out.

Cook looked back over his shoulder.  Both Luke and Jason were looking at him like lost puppies.  “Then see if there’s anyway to reverse it or delay its effect.  Anything.”  And before either of them could say anything, Cook broke into hurried strides.

  
==========

  
A knock on the door startled Archie.  He hadn’t realized he had been pacing around the room for the good part of the hour.  He hurriedly grabbed for the doorknob and yanked the door open, relief flooding through him at the sight of Cook.

But the defeated look on Cook’s face had him worried.  Dread slinked back into his psyche.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Michael.”  Cook almost breathed the words out.  He leaned his weight on one leg, swaying a little that Archie thought he was going to collapse.  So Archie grabbed Cook’s arm by impulse and pulled him inside the room, guiding him to sit at the edge of the bed.

“What happened?” Archie settled beside Cook, palm pressed lightly on Cook’s shoulder blade.

“It’s my fault.  I shouldn’t have let him leave by himself,” Cook muttered, eyes trained on the vinyl tile-covered floor. 

Archie rummaged his brain for the right words to say.  But he had no clue how to coax the story out of Cook.  So he just began moving his hand that still sat on Cook’s back, rubbing gently, hoping the silent urging would make Cook decipherable somehow.

When it seemed Cook wasn’t planning to indulge in any means of communication soon, Archie thought he’d ask where Michael was.  That might trigger Cook to delve into details.  But when he was about to speak, a light knock had the words hanging on the brink of his tongue.

Unmindfully, Archie pulled the door open.  Cook was standing right there.  “Arch.  It’s Michael. He was in an accident.”   

Archie was utterly bewildered.

  
==========

  
The expression that swept over Archie’s face was clearly of confusion.  And Cook found no need to ask why.  He quickly spotted a man inside, who got up from the bed and without a doubt, looked exactly like him.  The man smirked when Cook met his eyes and the mask quickly dissolved to reveal the true identity of the stranger.

It was David Hernandez.

Before Cook could move, Archie had passed out and time seemed to be against him because he wasn’t quick enough to grab a hold of Archie, whose body levitated like a sheet of paper and landed gently on his bed.

“Uh-ah. You wouldn’t want your boy hurt now, would you?”  Davey said menacingly.  He slid beside Archie and propped himself on his arm that he stretched out above Archie’s head.  He laid a hand on Archie’s abdomen and when it was lifted, there as a small spider underneath it and it crawled quickly up to Archie’s face.

Cook knew what this meant.  Davey was casting a spell.  “Don’t.  Please,” he pleaded as he stepped inside the room.

But Davey didn’t pay heed.  He just laughed and watched the spider crawl into Archie’s nostril.  His eyes darkened and Cook heard the door slam behind him. 

It was a mistake to let his guard down and Cook immediately regretted it.  “What the fuck is it you want Hernandez?”

A low, inauspicious laugh ripped out of Davey   “Now, now Cook, play nice.”  He pushed himself up and swung his legs over the edge, planting his feet on the floor.  “What I want is something only you could give me.”

Cook could tell Davey was prompting him to repeat what Davey had said in a form of a question.  But he didn’t want to give Davey the satisfaction so Cook remained still and quiet.

“You know what the pitiful thing is?” Davey spoke after a while.  “That I grew up not knowing who I really am.”  He narrated how, as a child, he knew there was something different about him.  And he had no one to turn to, no one to explain to him who he really was.

“Then one day when I turned thirteen, I discovered,” he laid back and leaned on his elbow, legs stretched on the bed beside Archie, “I discovered that I could make things happen.”

Not a word slipped out of Cook’s mouth.  He let Davey babble on about how he had found his biological father and how he had forced him to will his power over to Davey.  “No one told me that this, this thing, this power could be soooo addicting.”

A snide remark was on the tip of his tongue, but Cook still chose to keep his mouth shut.

“Now let’s see, where were we?” Davey went on, scratching his chin as if he was in deep thought.  “Ah, of course.  What to do to save your little boyfriend here.” He cast his eyes downward to gesture at Archie and Cook saw bluish veins started to appear on his boyfriend’s face, spreading all the way to Archie’s neck.  “You’re gonna have to will me your power.”

“What?” Cook must’ve heard him wrong.

“I want you,” Davey sat back up, eyes never leaving Cook’s face, “to will me your power.  Oh don’t worry about the exposure and such.  We can make it look like at an accident.  I’m pretty good with car accidents, you know.”

This had gone too far.

“You’re crazy,” Cook spat.

Davey just laughed. “That’s what they all say.”  He got up on his feet while he reiterated what he wanted from Cook, threatening him that if he didn’t comply, then his other friends would join Michael and Danny at the hospital.

That was enough to push Cook over the edge.  He raised his hand and mentally grabbed hold of Davey, hurling him to the other side of the room through his mind.  Davey lifted his head and before Cook could block the energy thrown at him, he felt it hit him right across his chest with force, sending him flying backwards until his back hit the wall.

Pain shot through every inch of Cook’s body.  The force that threw him off so strong that it rendered him vulnerable.  He saw Davey approach, and felt the grip at the back of his head.  The tug on Cook’s hair forced him to look up and Davey leaned close enough to hiss against Cook’s face.

“Meet me at the old barn near your old place at a quarter before midnight strikes tomorrow.”  Then he released Cook and made his way to the door.

“Wait.”  Archie was Cook’s main concern at the moment.  “You can’t leave like that,” he said, gesturing at the young man lying motionless on the bed.  “He’ll die.”

Davey shrugged, walked over to the bed and pressed his palm on Archie’s forehead.  Cook saw the spider crawl out of Archie’s nose and the bluish lines slowly that nearly covered his skin faded.  Then Davey ambled back to the door. With one sweep of his arm, the room, which was now in disarray, returned to its normal state.

Archie stirred the moment Davey stepped out and Cook rushed to his side, watching silently as Archie’s eyes fluttered open.  “Cook,” Archie said in a hoarse voice.  “What happened?”

“You passed out when I told you that Michael had an accident,” Cook lied. 

  
==========

  
Something was going on and Archie decided to confront Cook, determined to get some answers.  He was surprised, however, when Cook didn’t up a fight and wordlessly led Archie to his car.

Archie later found himself standing in front of the old house where he had been with Cook days before.  It was dark and stuffy and the stairs creaked dangerously beneath Archie’s feet as they made their way up to the second landing.

With cautious steps, Archie followed Cook’s lead and turned to what looked like a family room.  A single lamp that stood on a corner table and the flames crackling in a fireplace at the opposite wall were the only source of light. Despite the murky ambiance, the room was neat and not a trace of dust could be seen.  But the smell of antiseptic and mixed odor of strong drugs filled the air, making his lungs constrict.

“Dave?  What are you doing?”  An old man appeared from what seemed to be an inner room.

“Please Grenvell.  This is important to me,” Cook said then he turned his head to Archie.  “Come on.”

Archie felt Cook tug at his hand and let Cook pull him further into the room toward a large wing chair, an IV stand and what Archie recognized as a heart monitor stood beside it.  His eyes wandered over to a nearby table filled with medicine bottles, syringes and a jar filled with cotton.  And when the halted, Archie’s gaze turned to the chair in front of him.

A small gasp escaped Archie’s lips.  A man that looked too old, Archie thought he could be near a hundred years, sat still.  His eyes were closed, his face looked weary. Frail limbs lay on the chair’s arms.  The pale skin left uncovered was loose and heavily wrinkled. 

When the man’s eyes sprang open, Archie jumped back a little and he felt Cook’s hand against the small of his back.

“This is Stan Cook,” Cook spoke, his voice filled with melancholy.  “He’s my father.”  Archie’s eyes darted over to Cook, whose soft gaze remained at the man before them.  “He’s fifty-two years old.”

It was too much to process.  Jumbled thoughts filled Archie’s head and everything else that happened inside the house was nothing but a blur to him.  He remembered Danny telling him once that Cook’s father had died a long time ago.  So it was unexpected that he would be brought face-to-face with the old man. 

What bothered him most was Cook emphasized that his father was only fifty-two but he looked twice older than his age. Cook had explained during their drive back that it was the consequence Stan had to endure in exchange for his abusive use of his power.

The mention of power brought back the things Archie had read from the old books he had gathered in the library at one time.  He was curious about the history of Idolwich and the colony that Danny had told him about.

They pulled up near a brook where they parked for a while.  Cook enlightened Archie about his nature.  “Our gifts develop at the age of thirteen.  At eighteen, the power rises to a higher level. But that is nothing compared to how strong it would get when we ascend at twenty-one.  And it’s addictive.”  Cook gazed out of the car.  “The more we use it, the harder it gets to resist its temptation.  And every single time we use the power, it consumes our body, making it age faster.”

Archie could only nod understandingly.  When Cook told him what Davey had asked him to do, Archie couldn’t help but ask, “What will happen if you will your power away?”

“The power becomes our life source once we ascend,” Cook said and for the first time, Archie saw a vestige of vulnerability flash through Cook’s eyes.  “Will it away and we die.”

  
==========

  
With Davey’s threat leaving everyone in trepidation, Cook brought Archie to the house where he now lived with his mother and insisted that Archie stayed for the night. 

Cook’s mom, Beth, was a very warm and accommodating woman.  She kept Archie company the next day while Cook went back to the hospital to see how Michael and Danny were doing.  They spent hours at the family room looking through old photos and Beth seemed to enjoy sharing stories about Cook when he was younger.  She was obviously proud of her son.

It was late in the afternoon when Cook returned.  He assured Archie that both Danny and Michael’s conditions were stable for the time being.  After dinner, Jason and Luke came by and Cook led them to the living room.

When Archie heard raised voices, he went over to where the others were and he stood helplessly while he watched Cook and his mom debated.

“You can’t possible go there alone, Dave,” Beth said in a pleading voice.  “At least try asking help from the rest of the clan.”

“I can’t get more involved mom.  That would only give Davey more people he could use to gain leverage,” Cook argued.

Jason and Luke likewise begged Cook to consider bringing them along but Cook resolutely declined their request, telling them they needed to stay behind and make sure that his mom and Archie were safe.

There were no more words left for Archie to utter.  He knew Cook had made up his mind and there was nothing anyone could do to change it.

Half an hour before midnight, Cook pulled Archie close, wrapping his arms tightly around Archie’s middle.  Archie buried his face on Cook’s shoulder, breathing in his scent.  Fear coursed through him like shockwave.  The thought that this could be the last time Cook would be able to hold him close filled him with so much dread.

“Don’t go” was Archie’s desperate attempt to make Cook reconsider.

“I have to.”  Cook’s breath was hot against Archie’s neck.  His hold tightened before he finally pulled away, tears brimming his eyes.  He pressed his palm against Archie’s cheek then leaned in until their lips met.

The ghost of Cook’s kiss was left on Archie’s lips and it took several moments before Archie snapped out of his daze and realized that Cook was gone.  This couldn’t be happening.  He should have at least tried to stop him.

“There’s something I need to do,” Beth had said and she was out the door before anyone could stop her.  Jason and Luke’s bellows of _‘wait, Aunt Beth’_ and _‘where are you going?’_ were practically unheeded.

Archie stood shell-shocked, unable to response.  He was too worried about Cook to even try to stop Beth from leaving.  There was no way he would sit around and do nothing.  No way.

  
==========

  
Headlights slashed through the cloak of darkness.  The road seemed to stretch out longer than what Cook had been accustomed with.  His car zoomed along the familiar route leading to his old house but this time his destination was different, as was his purpose.

His cell phone buzzed, gliding across the velvet cover of the passenger seat while it vibrated.   He reached out, quickly glanced on the screen before bringing it to his ear.

“Jason?”

“Cook.  It’s your mom.  She left so quickly and we have no idea where she was headed to,” Jason blundered out and he was evidently in panic.

“Fuck!” There was only one place in mind Cook knew where his mother could go to and it didn’t seem like a good idea at all.  “Where’s Archie?” he asked, worried that his boyfriend might be triggered to act impulsively and follow him.

“He’s right here. Fuck.“  Jason didn’t even bother to pull the phone away when he asked, “Luke, where’s Archie?”

Luke’s voice, however, was barely audible.

“What’s wrong?” Cook shifted gear and slowed the car down when the old barn came to view. 

There was a loud crash on the vehicle’s roof forcing Cook to step on the brake.  A body was hurled through the air, twisting effortlessly then landed gracefully on the hood.

It was Davey.  A sinister grin was plastered on his face.

“Glad you can make it Cook,” Davey said in a menacing tone.  Then he stretched his arms forward.  The energy he yielded caused all windows to shatter, fragments floating like it defied the laws of gravity before it scattered all around.  And Cook impulsively raised his arms to cover his face. 

When Cook felt no shard prick his skin, he brought his arms down warily and Davey was nowhere in sight.

The barn door creaked as Cook pushed it open.  Davey was standing in the middle and flames were flickering behind him.  Something else caught Cook’s eye.  There was a body levitating horizontally above the fire.  Cook sauntered closer.  A mixture of anger and fear flooded in his chest when he saw it was Archie.

“I thought I should bring an insurance,” Davey said nonchalantly.

“Fuck you.”  With both fists aimed at the ground, Cook sent a wave burrowing through the surface toward Davey but the man dodged his attack.

Davey leapt through the air, flipping over before landing on the loft above him.  “That wasn’t the response I was expecting.”  A ball of fire was conjured between his curved hands and hurled it directly at Cook.

The flame had hit a bale of hay instead, seconds after Cook jumped out of the way.  But that left Cook unguarded and he hadn’t sensed the incoming shockwave until he felt its force smash against his chest, throwing him across the air.  Cook let out an air of ‘oomf’ when his back crashed against a hard surface.  His body went limp as he fell on the ground.

Mist appeared before him.  Then it fanned out, slowly wrapping around his frame.  And he felt himself being lifted.

“Well, what do we have here?”  Davey’s voice rang out.  “Are. We. Ascending?”

Cook felt like he was being ripped apart, his soul being shred to pieces.  Then a weight pressed against his chest.  Warmth flowed throughout his body, mending him back and filling him up with enormous vigor.

The light vanished and Cook was released from its grip.  He landed with ease. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was met with a forceful blow.  But he raised his hands on impulse and an energy sphere appeared, deflecting the onslaught.

Heat settled on the tips of Cook’s fingers.  He lifted his hands, channeling an electric discharge that pierced through the dense atmosphere and hit Davey.  The man landed on a haystack.

Cook stood with bated breath, waiting for Davey to emerge.  But he didn’t. The advantage seemed to have switched to his side and he decided to use it by getting Archie out.  He was about to reach for his unconscious boyfriend when a sinister laugh rumbled out from the shadowy corner of the barn.

“You really think you could get away that easy?”  Davey crept out from the curtain of darkness, his eyes black as night.  “Nah-uh.  You may have ascended but I have the power of my father in me.”  He took a few more strides closer before he stopped.  “It was his parting gift.  To will me his power.”

Without giving Cook a chance to retaliate, Davey wielded another attack.  The impact was too strong that Cook went blasting through the window and out of the barn. His body met the stony ground with a loud thud and he felt his limbs had turned rickety.

He lay on his back, eyes drifting close as consciousness threatened to slip away.

  
==========

  
It had been months, maybe years, since Beth last set foot on the old manor.  The place did nothing but remind her what she had lost - or was about to lose.

She climbed the stairs in haste and wasted no time to tell the caretaker that she wished to be left alone when she rushed into the den. 

With great caution, she kneeled before her husband.  Or the fading shell of the man she used to love.

“Stan?” she said, keeping her voice low so as not to startle the man.  “Stan, please.”  Beth watched the eyelids flutter before Stan opened his eyes.   “Stan.  Listen to me.  Your son needs you.  If you don’t help him, he could die.”

Silence draped around them.  The only sounds that vibrated through the still atmosphere were the low hum of the humidifier, the constant beep of the heart monitor and the simultaneous breathing of the two occupants of the room.

“Stan please,” Beth spoke up when Stan’s eyes were drooping.  “There is no other way.  Do this for our son. Do this for Dave.”  Tears streamed down her cheeks when Stan’s head bobbed.

It seemed an effort for Stan to part his lips but he did, words barely audible breezed out.  “I.  Will.  Dave.  My.  Power.”

A flash of lightning gleamed through the window followed closely by a low rumbling noise that ended in a bloodcurdling cracking sound.

  
==========

  
Cook could hear Davey but none of the other man’s words seemed coherent.  Everything else around him was blocked by one single sound - a familiar voice bidding him farewell. 

The clouds above him were thickening, like whirlwind in the sky.  And at its center was a faint light that seemed to changed colors every time he blinked.

“Say it Cook.”  Davey looked down on him with a baleful glare.  When Cook didn’t do so much as stir, Davey fell on his knees and grabbed Cook’s head.  “Say it!”

Wind blew past them and Cook thought it felt like the touch of someone familiar.  _Dad_ , he thought.  Then he felt the prickle at the back of his eyes.

“Fucking say it!” Davey roared, his palm pressing hard against the side of Cook’s head.

“I.”  A beat.  “Will.”  A breath.  “You.”  A second ticked. “Nothing.”

A tide of energy blasted out of Cook, sending Davey yards across and landing on his butt.  The power that seeped through his core was stronger than he ever felt and Cook knew this wasn’t entirely due to his ascension.

Davey used every means of assault, his face clearly tainted with desperation.  But Cook warded off every offensive move effortlessly.

“You’re going to regret this Cook.  I will kill your little boyfriend.”  With those words, flames rose within the barn.  And the restraints that held back Cook’s anger snapped.

A tempest that had been building up in Cook’s core ripped out and lashed at Davey, hurling him over through the hayloft’s window.  The last glimpse Cook had of the man was when he was engulfed in flames.

Cook dashed inside, parting the flames to create a path.  He could see Archie ahead, no longer floating but was lying flat on the ground.  He rushed over and the flames around his boyfriend subsided when he approached.

The fire had consumed the entire barn when they got out.  He laid Archie carefully on a pile of boxes.  And no sooner did his boyfriend stir awake.  His eyes widened at the sight of the fire, the radiance reflected on the glassy surface of his hazel orbs.

“W-what happened Cook?”

“It’s over baby.”  Cook brushed his fingers through Archie’s dark hair.  “We’re safe now.”

  
==========

  
The sun had risen hours ago.  Firemen and policemen rummaged through the debris while Cook and Archie watched from Cook’s car.

“We have been searching for hours Mr. Cook, but we found nothing, not even a burned corpse.”  Archie heard one of the firemen say.  Cook only nodded and thanked him before slipping into the driver’s seat.

“Where is he?” Archie asked, worry and fear building up inside him once more.

“I don’t know” was Cook’s muttered response.  He swept a hand over the dashboard.  Shards of glass scattered on the hood were drawn in and the windshield was instantly restored.  “Wait here.  I just need to talk to a police officer.”

Cook sauntered over to a huddle of officers. 

The clouds had parted and sunrays beamed down across the ground.  Archie craved for the little warmth it could give.   His gaze returned to where Cook and the officers stood and he noticed that they all had their backs turned on him.  One of the policemen was pointing at the perimeter around the barn. 

A thin dark fog veiled over Archie’s eyes, but it didn’t make his eyesight blurry.  He turned his palm up and with a flick of his fingers, the convertible top moved and retracted.  By the time Cook returned, the top was down.  “I hope you don’t mind.  I was hoping to get a bit of sun,” Archie said, pointing at the top folded away behind the rear seat.

Cook slipped into the driver’s side and shrugged a shoulder.  “I don’t mind.”  A smile graced his lips.  He reached for the key and started the engine.  “Let’s get out of here.”

  
~ THE END ~

 


End file.
